Perplexity Demos AI 'Computer'
Perplexity AI has demonstrated a new tool described as an AI 'computer' capable of building applications on command. A demonstration video showcased the tool creating a live satellite tracker by using orbital data, highlighting its potential for complex, on-the-fly software creation.
- This new tool represents a shift for Perplexity from an "answer engine" to an autonomous agent capable of executing tasks. Instead of just responding to queries, Perplexity Computer is designed to understand a high-level goal, break it down into subtasks, and execute multi-step workflows with minimal user intervention. - The company was founded in August 2022 by Aravind Srinivas, Denis Yarats, Johnny Ho, and Andy Konwinski, who have backgrounds in AI, machine learning, and back-end systems. CEO Aravind Srinivas previously held research positions at OpenAI, Google Brain, and DeepMind. - As of September 2025, Perplexity AI had a valuation of $20 billion, a significant increase from its $14 billion valuation in June 2025. The company has raised a total of $1.22 billion, with major investors including Jeff Bezos, Nvidia, and SoftBank Vision Fund 2. - Perplexity's business model primarily relies on a "freemium" structure, offering a free public version and a paid "Pro" subscription at $20 per month for more advanced features. The company is also exploring enterprise solutions and has started introducing a revenue-sharing model with content publishers. - The demonstration of an AI that builds applications is a direct challenge to established tech giants. The landscape for AI-driven search and agentic AI includes competitors like Google's Gemini, ChatGPT, and Microsoft Copilot. - Perplexity Computer utilizes a multi-model AI agent system, built on the company's internal orchestration framework, to route tasks to specialized large language models and chain together tool operations. - The company has faced scrutiny over its web scraping methods and allegations of copyright infringement from major media organizations. In response to criticism, CEO Aravind Srinivas stated that the feature had "rough edges" and that the company "aggregates" rather than plagiarizes.
